A KOROIT service club is hoping to fill a gap in the town by opening an opportunity shop.
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The Lions club has put in a submission to Moyne Shire Council to take on the lease of the town’s old kindergarten building in High Street.
Lions club president Bruce Lowenthal said members wanted to convert the building into a second-hand outlet.
“About six months ago I realised we didn’t have an op shop in Koroit,” Mr Lowenthal said.
“You look around at other places and Port Fairy and Camperdown have three op shops and Warrnambool has six.
“At the moment if people from Koroit want to buy something from an op shop or donate goods to one then they have to go into Warrnambool or Port Fairy.
“An op shop here in Koroit would be great for everyone, particularly low-income families and, if there is a family in real trouble, we could open the doors to them and help them get back on their feet.”
Mr Lowenthal said club members and their partners would man the op shop, with early plans indicating it would open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturday mornings.
A licensed second-hand dealer and auctioneer, Mr Lowenthal said he had seen evidence in his daily trade to be confident an op shop in Koroit could source enough stock to fill the store, such as furniture, clothes, books and kitchenware.
“All the proceeds from the op shop would go back into the community through Lions club projects,” Mr Lowenthal said.
“We are looking to erect a playground at the Koroit railway station and, at the moment, we have committed a contribution of $10,000 towards that. But if we can get the op shop up and going we would be able to increase that.”
The building has been vacant since the end of last year when the kindergarten moved to its new premises at the Moyne Health Services Koroit campus.
Mayor James Purcell described the op shop idea as “exciting” and said it would be looked at closely as part of the expression of interest process.